Billet nicking machine



Dec. 24, 1946. D. 1.. SMITH BILLET NICKING MACHINE Filed May 20, 1945' 5 Sheets Sheet l ail, w

ATTORNEYS Dec. 24, 1946. D. 1 SMITH BILLET NICKING MACHINE Filed May 20, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIELZ INVENTOR Q I BYv '59 im --4 ATTORNEYS Dec. 24, 1946, D. L. SMITH BILLET NICKING MACHINE 5 SheetsSheet 3 Filed May 20, 1943 INVENTOR flak/1 x and ATTORNEY5 D. L. SMITH 2,413.117.

BILLET NICKING MACHINE v Filed May 20, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR flak x 2.4%

. ATTORNEYS m UE Dec. 24, 1946. D. L. SMITH BILLET NICKING MACHINE Filed May 20, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 N \P mfa L on i Y an. J .3: S mm m I 3 Em -Lb m w. H n J r 0 an wm u r E15: w n J abafl, u 3 1 w 3 1 mm 8 f u K \s 3 m U h 4 lNVE NTOR 44 ,4 21% Patented Dec. 24, 1946 BILLET NICKING MACHINE Donald L. Smith, Dunellen, N. J assignorto Air Incorporated, a corpora- Reduction Company, tion of New York Application May 20, 1943, Serial No. 487,724

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for nicking or grooving billets on opposite sides by means of gas cutting torches so that the nicked billets may be broken into short pieces suitable for use as stock blanks in forging shells and bombs, and in making various other articles.

One type of machine that has been proposed for nicking square billets has a vertically movable frame on which a pair of gas cutting torches are so supported that their cutting jets may be directed against opposite vertical sides of the billet. The frame is operated by a motor to move the torches vertically across the side faces of the billet at the desired uniform cutting speed and thereby simultaneously produce in the two billet faces a pair of vertical nicks which are directly opposite each other.

The principal object of this invention is to improve the construction and operation of a billet nicking machine of this type, particularly by providing additional advantageous adjustments of the torches relative to the vertically movable frame that supports them, by improving the mechanism for imparting vertical movement to the torch-supporting frame, by so constructing the machine that most of the mechanism for actuating the vertically movable torch-supporting frame may be enclosed to exclude dirt and grit, and by providing certain other novel features as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

' Figure 1 is a front elevation of a nicking machine embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the motor housing with the cover removed to show the interior mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of mechanism for actuating the vertically movable torch-supporting frame;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the motor housing shown in Fig. 4 with the cover removed to show the interior mechanism.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, the machine therein illustrated has a housing I to the front corners of which a pair of vertical guide rails 2 are fastened. A torch-supporting frame 3 extending transversely across the front of the achine is mounted for vertical movement on the guide rails 2. At each corner of the frame 3. there is a pair of rollers 4, best shown in Fig. 2, which engage the front and rear faces of the corresponding guide rail, and a roller 5 which engages the edge faceof the guide rail. Thus the rollers of each group engage the corresponding guide rail on three sides so that the frame 3 is movable only in a vertical direction and in that direction it is movable quite freely.

A transverse guide rail 6 extends across the full width of the frame 3 and is supported at each end by a horizontal rod 7 which is mounted to slide in a bearing 8 secured to the corresponding end of the vertically movable frame 3. The rods 1 have racks 9 along their lower sides engagingwith pinions Ill-mounted on the ends of a shaft II (Fig. 1) rotatably supported by the vertically movable frame 3. There is a hand wheel I2 at each end of the shaft II. By turning. either hand wheel to rotate the shaft 1 I both pinions H] are rotated to move the rods 1 simultaneously in their bearings and thereby adjustthe guide rail 6 either forwardly or rearwardly. Two separate torch supports l3 are slidable alongthe guide rail 6 and are adjustable transversely of the machine by lead screws l4 rotatably supported in bearings carried by the guide rail. Cranks l5 are fastened to the outer ends of the lead screws I 4. By turning the crank at one side of the machine the torch support l3 at that side of the machine may be adjusted transversely along the guide rail 6.

A gas cutting torch it, such as oxyacetylene cutting torch, is carried by each support l3 by connecting structure as follows: The torch is clamped in a torch holder l1 having a stud I8 disposed longitudinally of the machine and extending into a clamp I 9 (Fig. 2). The stud I8 is rotatable in the clamp I 9 to change the inclination of the torch and the clamp l9 may be adjusted to change the friction on the 'stud. A Worm wheel 20-on-the studifl meshes with a worm 21 on a shaft 22 that is mounted to turn in bearings at oneside of the clamp It. This shaft may be turned by a knob 23 to swing the torch holder about the axisof. the stud l8 whenever the tip of the torch is to be adjusted toward or from the side Wall of the billet. This adjustment is made manually when-necessary to cause the torch tip to follow irregularities in the surface of the billet during a nicking operation.

. The clamp I9 is clamped to the outer end of a rod at having a rack 25 at its underside. The rod 24=is mounted to slide longitudinallyin a bearing 26 supportedby the corresponding torch support-l3. A pinion 21 mounted to turn in the 3 bearing 25 meshes with the teeth of the rack 25 and may be turned by a knob 28 to move the rod 24 longitudinally and thereby adjust the torch lengthwise of the billet. Simultaneous adjustment of the two torches i6 lengthwise of the billet is accomplished by turning either of the hand wheels IE, but for fine adjustment. the knob 23 is turned to adjust its associated torch lengthwise of the billet independently of the other torch.

A shoe E9 is clamped to each of the torches and these shoes bear against the vertical sidewalls of the billet and hold the torch tips spaced the desired distance from the billet walls. In Fig.1 a billet is represented at B but the torches are shown adjusted the maximum distance apart and therefore the shoes are not shown incontact with the vertical side walls of the billet. By turning the cranks I the torches may be moved inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a position in which the shoes 29 contact with the vertical sides of the billet and in which the tips of the cutting torches are spaced the proper distance from the billet walls.

Power for moving the frame 3 vertically on the guide rails 2 is supplied by an electric motor 30 (Figs. 2 and 3) within the housing I. The motor has acentrifugal speed governor 3| which may be of the type disclosed in the patent to C. T. Evans, No. 2,032,743. For the present purpose it is sufficient to note that the governor may be adjusted by turning a knob 32, positioned outside of the housing I, to cause the motor to move the frame 3 and the torches at the desired uniform cutting speed. T

The housing I is preferably divided into two compartments by means of a transverse partition 33-a rear motor compartment in which the motor 33 is located and a forward gear compartment. A shaft 34 turns in bearings at opposite sides of the housing and extends transversely through the forward compartment. A worm wheel 35 turns on the shaft 34 and this worm wheel meshes with a worm 36 mounted ona shaft 31 which extends rearwardly into the motor compartment where it is driven by the motor 30 through reduction gearing 38. The driving plates of a multiple disc clutch 39 are connected with the worm wheel 35 and the driven plates of the clutch are splined on the shaft 34. The clutch is engaged and disengaged by means of a yoke 40 operated by a hand lever 4| positioned outside of and in front of the housing I.

The forward gear compartment of the housing I may be filled with grease up to a certain'level in accordance with the usual practice of lubrieating gear boxes.

Pinions 42 are secured to opposite ends of the shaft 34 outside of the housing I, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. These pinions mesh with vertically disposed racks 43 (Fig. 2) secured to the rear of the vertically'movable frame 3. Thus when the clutch 39 is engaged the torch supporting frame 3 moves upwardly when the motor rotates in one direction and moves downwardly when the motor rotates in the other direction.

The weight of the frame 3 and the parts carried by it are balanced by means of counterweight's 44 (Fig. 1) carried at the rear ends of a pair of arms 45 which are mounted on the oppo site ends of a transverse shaft 46 rotatably supported on top ofthe housing 1. Each arm 45 is pivotally connected near its forward end to the corresponding end of the frame '3 by means of a link 41. Each of the arms projects forwardly far enough to constitute a handle 48 by means of which the movable frame 3 can be raised and lowered by hand when the clutch 39 is disengaged.

Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive illustrate a modification of the motor operated means for moving the torchsupporting frame 3 vertically. In this modification the housing I is reversed so that the motor compartment is in the front instead of the rear. The shaft 34 now extends transversely through the rear compartment and is rotated from the motor 30- through a disc clutch 39 in the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3. In this case, however, the hand lever 4| for operating the clutch is at the rear of the housing. In this modification the ends of the shaft 34 do not have pinions as in the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 but are secured to arms 49 located outside of the housing. The forward end of each arm 49 is connected by means of a link 50 to the corresponding end of the vertically movable frame 3. The rear ends of the arms 49 carry counterweights 5|. The motor 30 is energized long enough to impart a partial revolution to the shaft 34 in one direction or the other to swing the arms 49 and thereby move the frame 3 upwardly or downwardly,

In both forms of th invention the motor 30 may be controlled by a hand switch 52 positioned in the motor compartment and having a hand lever 53 operable at the exterior of the housing. Limit switches may be provided for stopping the electric motor when the frame 3 has moved far enough in either direction to complete the nicking operation. They may be associated with the machine shown in Figs. l'to 3 in a manner well understood in the art. In the modification of Figs. 4 to 6 two of such limit switches are'represented at 54 (Fig. 6). They are actuated by an abutment 55 fastened to a rod 56 which is mounted to slide forwardly and rearwardly in the housing I. A yoke 51 secured to the shaft 34 engages either one of a pair of shoulders 58 on the rod 55 when the shaft 34 has rotated far enough to move the torch supporting frame 3 the desired distance. The rod 55 will thereupon be shifted to cause the abutment 55 to actuate one of the limit switches 54 to stop the motor. The rod 55 and. the abutment 55 are yieldingly maintained in a neutral position by means of coil springs 59. The hand switch 52 may be a two-position starting switch and may be connected in circuit with the motor and the limit switches in a manner well understood in the art so that when the motor is stopped at the end of a nicking operation by one of the limit switches, the snapping of the switch into its other position causes the motor to rotate in the reverse direction.

In either of the modifications the housing I may be mounted stationarily on. a suitable supporting frame provided the billet to be nicked is supported by a conveyor by means of which the billet may be moved longitudinally relative to the torches so that the billet can be nicked at spaced points along its length. Preferably, however, the housing I is supported on a carriage of any suitable type (not shown in the drawings) which is capable of moving the entire structure shown in the drawings lengthwise of the billet. In this case the desired relative movement between the torches and the billet lengthwise of the billet may be effected either by moving the carriage which supports all of the parts of the nicking apparatus or by moving the billet by means of its conveyor.

It will now be seen that thetorches may not only be adjusted transversely of the machine to bring the shoes 2e into contact with the vertical side walls of the billet but they may also be simultaneously adjusted lengthwise of the billet by turning either of the hand wheels 12. Individual adjustment of the torches lengthwise of the billet to bring the tips of the torches into exact transverse alignment may be accomplished by turning the knobs 23. Individual swinging of each torch about the axis of the stud it to move the tip of the torch toward or away from the side wall of the billet may be accomplished by turning the knob 23. As above stated, this adjustment may be made when necessary during the nicking operation to cause the tip of the torch to follow irregularities in the surface of the billet.

Enclosing of the motor and the parts in the gear compartment to exclude grit and dirt is an important feature since nicking machines are used in mills under dirty conditions and where much of the dirt is of an abrasive nature and causes rapid wear of unprotected machine parts.

The billet may be nicked at one place during vertical movement of the torches in one directicn and then the billet and the torches maybe moved relative to each other and lengthwise of the billet and the next nicking operation may be performed by vertical movement of the torches in the opposite direction. However, nicking of the billet on the upstroke only of the torches is generally preferred. Return movement of the torches to starting position would be relatively slow if effected by the motor, but they may be returned to starting position quickly by throwing out the clutch 39 and moving the frame 3 to starting position by hand.

While the work-piece to be nicked is referred to herein as a billet, it will be understood that the machine is not limited in its use to the nicking of billets but can be used for nicking other stock, such as square bars, blooms, ingots, and the like.

I claim:

1. A billet nicking machine comprising a housing, a pair of horizontally spaced vertical guides secured to the housing, a frame movable vertically along the guide means, said fram being horizontally elongated and adapted to extend transversely across the top of the billet to be nicked and being guided at its opposite ends on said guides, two torch holders connected with the frame in position to hold torches on opposite sides of a billet, torches mounted in the 2. A billet nicking machine comprising a housing, a pair of horizontally spaced vertical guides secured to the housing, a frame movable vertically along the guide means, said frame being horizontally elongated and adapted to extend transversely across the top of the billet to be nicked and being guided at its opposite ends on said guides, at least one torch holder connected with the frame, a torch mounted in the holder so that its tip is adapted to direct a cutting jet against a vertical side of a billet for nicking such side when the frame moves vertically, a transverse shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a motor in the housing, means for rotating said shaft from the motor, an actuating element secured to each end of said shaft outside of the housing, and means operatively connecting said actuating elements to opposite ends of the frame to move it vertically along the guides.

3. A billet nicking machine comprising a housing, a pair of horizontally spaced vertical guides secured to the housing, a frame movable vertically along the guide means, said frame being horizontally elongated and adapted to extend transversely across the top of the billet to be nicked and being guided at its opposite ends on said guides, at least one torch holder connected with the frame, a torch mounted in the holder so that its tip is adapted to direct a cutting jet against a vertical side of a billet for nicking such side when the frame moves vertically, a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing and eX- tending transversely thereof, a motor in the housing, means in the housing for rotating said shaft from the motor, a pinion secured to each end of said shaft outside of the housing, and racks secured to opposite ends of said frame and having teeth meshing with the teeth of said pinions whereby rotation of the pinions moves the frame vertically along the guides.

4. A billet nicking machine comprising vertical guide means, a frame movable vertically along the guide means, said frame being horizontally elongated and adapted to extend transversely across the top of the billet to be nicked and being guided at its opposite ends on said guide means, means for moving said frame vertically on the guide means, a horizontally-extending guide in front of said frame and extending lengthwise of the frame and substantially parallel thereto, guide-supporting members secured to opposite ends of the guide and adjustably carried by the frame for supporting said horizontally-extending guide from the frame, means on the frame for simultaneously adjusting said members to adjust the horizontally-extending guide toward and away from said frame longitudinally of the machine, two torch supports mounted to slide transversely of the machine on said horizontally-extending guide, means for adjusting said supports along the horizontally-extending guide, and a torch holder carried by each support.

DONALD L. SMITH. 

